From landscapes to still lifes, the realistic oil paintings by Lebanese-born artist Elie Bou Zeidan are captured on canvas. Zeidan, who lived in Paris, France for 17 years, now resides in Charlotte. His current solo exhibition, A French Perspective: Stills and Figures, is being held in Pease Gallery at Central Piedmont Community College through Oct. 21. The exhibition will have it’s opening reception on Wed., Oct. 7, from 4 p.m.- 6 p.m.
Creative Loafing: You started painting when you were 13 years old. Is that right?
Elie Bou Zeidan: Exactly. I was in Lebanon. I had an exhibition there when I was 15 years old with some painters and some of them were not so happy because I was so young. I continued painting and met some painters in Lebanon. I began painting with Halim Harb and after I met other painters. I was a fan of Habib Khoury and I also learned from Habib.
How did you end up in France and how long did you stay there?
In Lebanon I was a little bit distressed – there was nothing to do. Before that I was planning to go to Italy in 1989. I was enlisted to learn the language for six months, but during first three months the war started again and my plan to go to Italy was done. In 1991, I went to France and I stayed 17 years there.
When you paint your landscape pictures do you have to travel or do you paint off of memory?
Both, it depends on if I have the possibility to go. Now I couldn’t go, so I find good pictures or a picture I’ve already done and work on it, but change the feeling, colors. Sometimes I go and sit and paint if I have the possibility. With still life’s, I make the composition.
What are your plans for the future?
I am a student right now at CPCC getting my Masters degree, so I can teach art.
This article appears in Oct 6-13, 2009.
